Tightening in Chest

A feeling of tightness in chest accompanied by shortness of breath can lead to some critical medical conditions. The feeling of pain in between the neck and upper abdomen in the front of the body is known as chest pain. You may get a feeling of squeezing, crushing, heavy pressure, or tightness inside the chest. During this a person undergoes a crushing feeling in any part of the chest. This can happen due to many reasons. It might be because of some cardiac problems, respiratory distress, or overexertion.

Tightening always does not mean that there is some heart problem. Shortness of breath is also considered to be one of the major causes for this condition. Though, it is mostly related to some cardiac or lung problems.

Causes

Angina: Insufficient supply of blood or oxygen to the heart gives rise to this condition. Angina is also a symptom for other problems like heart attack, stroke, etc. Angina is caused due to the blockage of the veins by fat or cholesterol. This kind of situation should not be avoided and the patient should immediately rush to the doctor. Following a fat-free and low cholesterol diet food with regular exercises is the only way to avoid this problem.

Panic Attack: Panic attacks are generally observed when under stress. This causes pressure on the chest muscles and causes tautness. This condition results in tightening of the chest and throat. Apart from this, it leads to perspiration, anxiety, restlessness, shaking of the body, and increase in heart rate. These are the common symptoms of panic attack which are similar to heart attack symptoms. The difference is of the radiating pain that is experienced during heart attack, but not during a panic attack. Also, the feeling of tightness persists throughout the day, whereas in case of a heart attack, it is all of a sudden.

Bronchitis: The symptoms of this disorder is a feeling of inflammation in the airway passage. Especially in the case of a sudden and acute heart attack, many changes in the airway passage are observed that causes narrowing of the bronchioles.

Digestive Disorder: If you are experiencing this condition after eating, then digestive disorder is likely to be the cause. The pain and pressure on the chest and back gives a feeling of tightness which tends to move upwards in the arms and back, and is caused due to digestive disorder. The tightness inside your chest, on the right side, is also related to digestive system disorder, and is generally confused with the symptoms of a heart attack. The treatment for gastrointestinal disorder should be taken to avoid this problem.

Heart Attack: Heart attack is a very serious cause of chest tightening that can be felt at the center of the chest. A mild pain is observed that slowly tends to move towards the arms, shoulders, jaws, and neck. These symptoms should not be ignored and immediate medical treatment should be taken.

Sleep Disorder: The two most common types of sleep disorder are sleep paralysis and sleep apnea that gives rise to the uneasy, tight feeling. In sleep paralysis, the tight pressure in the chest is felt in the middle of the sleep at night. One also starts feeling that he is not able to move the body. In sleep apnea, the patient is unable to breathe for a small duration due to nasal blockage. This sometimes results in that tight pressure that you feel on your chest. If these two disorders are observed very frequently, then one should immediately consult a doctor.

Other than all these causes and disorders, there are some other reasons like asthma, allergies, pneumonia, emphysema, and inflammation in lungs that can lead to this condition. Apart from these situations, tightening in chest during pregnancy is also observed that can be due to indigestion, anemia, calcium deficiency, and stress. Keep in mind that the symptoms in any situation should not be avoided or taken lightly because it might take a serious form if left untreated for a longer period of time. Make sure that you do not panic in such conditions, otherwise the situation might become serious. Immediately consult the doctor for the appropriate treatment. Above all, eat healthy and stay healthy to avoid these kinds of situations.